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Bama Vijayam (1967 film)

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Bama Vijayam
Theatrical release poster
Directed byK. Balachander
Written byK. Balachander
Produced byM. S. Kasi
StarringSowcar Janaki
Rajasree
Kanchana
Jayanthi
Sachu
R. Muthuraman
Nagesh
Major Sundarrajan
Srikanth
T. S. Balaiah
CinematographyP. N. Sundaram
Edited byN. R. Kittu
Music byM. S. Viswanathan
Production
company
Manohar Pictures
Distributed byGemini Studios
Release date
  • 24 February 1967 (1967-02-24)
Running time
179 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Bama Vijayam (/bɑːmɑː vidʒəjəm/ transl. Bama's visit) is a 1967 Indian Tamil-language comedy film directed by K. Balachander. The film features an ensemble cast including Sowcar Janaki, Rajasree, Kanchana, Jayanthi, Sachu, R. Muthuraman, Nagesh, Major Sundarrajan, Srikanth and T. S. Balaiah. It revolves around a man's three daughters-in-law who go to absurd lengths to impress an actress who becomes their neighbour.

Bama Vijayam was simultaneously filmed in Telugu as Bhale Kodallu with a slightly different cast. It was released on 24 February 1967, and won the Chennai Film Fans' Association Award for Best Film. The film was later remade in Hindi as Teen Bahuraniyan (1968), with Janaki, Kanchana and Jayanthi reprising their roles. In 1998, it was remade into Malayalam as Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam.

Plot

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A middle-class joint family is living happily run by the responsible father Ethiraj, a retired headmaster. He has three sons – Maheshwaran, Raman, and Krishnan. Maheswaran is a Hindi professor; he and his wife Parvathi have five children. Raman, a high court clerk has two children with wife Sita. Krishnan, a medical representative is married to Rukmini. Sumathi, the younger sister of Sita also stays in the same house, as she is pursuing higher studies in the same city. Though it is a joint family, the father has set up his three sons in three different portions in the same house, and takes turns to eat in each of his son's house, to avoid any possibility of problems between them. The sons give their salaries to their father, and all the financial matters are dealt by him efficiently. He is respected and feared by everyone in the family. Wrong-doers in the household are made to stand on a bench by him as punishment.

Meanwhile, a popular actress Bama moves into the bungalow next to their house. The three daughters-in-law and the sons meet her while they are all in the terrace, and try to make friends with her. Bama is very polite, and accepts their invitation to come to their house on 16th of that month. Now, the three ladies in the house start making fuss about the condition of their house, saying that they do not have enough facilities in their house to show to Bama that there are well-off. The husbands try to convince them but they force their husbands to agree to whatever they ask. Eventually the men give in and start buying things for their own houses. They paint the house, get stuff like radio, fan, sofa, for their own portions.

The father tries in vain to make everyone understand that they should live for themselves within their means. They get all the things for the house – a few for rent, a few for instalment, and also borrow money with a high interest rate. They even go to the extent of hiring a male servant to stay in the house. The ladies start arguing whose portion should Bama visit first when she comes to their house. Finally, Parvathi makes the other two ladies agree by showing a diamond necklace that she borrowed from her friend. They decide to pass the necklace through the windows so that Bama would think that everyone has diamond necklaces.

On the day of Bama's visit, Parvathi decides to lock three of her five children inside a room, so that Bama wouldn't know that she is old enough to have 5 kids. Sita sees this, and she decides to hide her spectacles, so that Bama wouldn't guess her age too. When Bama arrives, she goes to Sita's portion first. Sita has to go and get the diamond necklace from Parvathi. Meanwhile, Raman tells Bama about his and his brothers' jobs. When Sita comes, she lies to Bama that Raman is an advocate in high court, to which both Bama and Raman look surprised. Bama asks Sita what the time is, but Sita can't see the time in her wrist watch without the spectacles. Parvathi sees this and laughs.

Later when Bama goes to Parvathi's portion, Parvathi lies that her husband is college principal. When she tells that she has only two children, Sita lets the other three kids out of the locked room. Bama thinks that the kids are orphans, and Parvathi, who does not know English, agrees that the kids are orphans. Sita makes fun of this. Finally, when Bama arrives at Krishnan's part of the house, she gets a spectacular welcome with red carpet, flowers and her favourite drinks. They even take a few snaps with her.

The ladies are amazed by Bama's simplicity like glass bangles, her politeness. Even then they do not take a cue, and try to show off too much in front of her. Soon, they get close to Bama and keep meeting her for picnics in her shooting spots, etc., neglecting their family. Krishnan gets an instalment car for the ladies to roam, Raman gets telephone connection through' his office citing his father's "illness", which the ladies use to talk to Bama every day.

After a few months of this, and financial problems, a bombshell appears in the form of an anonymous letter stating that one of the three husbands is having an affair with Bama, and this upsets their wives. Each hopes and wishes that her husband is not the culprit, but to each the evidence seems to point to him only.

After a series of humorous incidents, the false news of Maheshwaran having illegal contact with Bama is published in a newspaper, thus leading to more trouble. However, after some time, the publisher apologises for it and decides to publish a retraction, and it all ends well for everyone.

Cast

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Production

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In 1965, when K. Balachander was a rookie in the film industry, his household was excited because Sowcar Janaki, an established actress, was due to visit their house. This incident laid the foundation for Bama Vijayam,[3] which was written and directed by Balachander, and produced by M. S. Kasi under Manohar Pictures.[4] It was simultaneously filmed in Telugu as Bhale Kodallu, with a slightly different cast.[1]

Themes

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Bama Vijayam, a satire,[1] focuses on how "false prestige, pretence and living beyond one's means" can destroy a household.[3] Historian Randor Guy and News18 noted the film's similarities to A Letter to Three Wives (1949).[5][6] According to Aranthai Manian, the film has similarities with the stage play Star Night by K. K. Raman.[7]

Soundtrack

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The soundtrack was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Kannadasan.[8] The song "Varavu Ettanna Selavu Pathanna" (transl. Income is eight annas and expense is ten annas) attained popularity.[1][9] The Times of India said it "makes you laugh just as much as it makes you think!"[10]

Song Singer Duration
"Ninaithaal Sirippuvarum" P. Susheela, L. R. Eswari 4:45
"Aani Muthu" P. Susheela, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, L. R. Eswari 3:03
"Kuru Kuru Nagaienna" T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari 3:01
"Varavu Ettanna Selavu Pathanna" T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari 5:35

Release and reception

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Bama Vijayam was released on 24 February 1967,[4] and distributed by Gemini Studios.[11] Kalki lauded the film for the cast performances and Balachander's direction.[12] The film won the Chennai Film Fans' Association Award for Best Film.[13]

Other versions

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Bama Vijayam was remade in Hindi as Teen Bahuraniyan in 1968, with Sowcar Janaki, Kanchana and Jayanthi reprising their roles.[14][15] The film was remade into Malayalam as Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam (1998) with a slightly different storyline.[2] The film was unofficially remade in Kannada as Swalpa Adjust Madkolli (2000).[16] A theatrical adaptation of Bama Vijayam, titled Mastani O Mastani, was staged by Rajan Radhakrishnan in November 2017.[17]

Legacy

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In an interview with The Hindu, Crazy Mohan said that "no attempt at comedy could ever match Bama Vijayam".[18] Film historian Mohan Raman wrote that Balaiah "[excelled] as the concerned head of the family".[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 391.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k ராம்ஜி, வி. (22 February 2023). "இந்தக் காலத்துக்கும் ஏற்ற 'வரவு எட்டணா செலவு பத்தணா' பாட்டு!". Kamadenu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b Balachander, Prasanna (21 December 2017). "K Balachander: the man, the movies". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b "1967 – பாமா விஜயம்- மணோகர் பிக்" [1967 – Bama Vijayam- Manohar Pic]. Lakshman Sruthi (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  5. ^ Guy, Randor (September 2007). "From Silents to Sivaji! A look into the past – Part II". Galatta Cinema. p. 64.
  6. ^ "56 வருடங்களுக்கு முன்பே கதை திருட்டு சர்ச்சையில் சிக்கிய இயக்குநர் பாலசந்தர்!". News18 (in Tamil). 24 February 2023. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  7. ^ Manian, Aranthai (2020). திரைப்படங்களான இலக்கியங்களும் நாடகங்களும் (in Tamil). Pustaka Digital Media. p. 1977.
  8. ^ "Bama Vijayam (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP". iTunes. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  9. ^ Venkataramanan, Geetha (16 July 2015). "Which came first: lyric or music?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  10. ^ "ROFL". Chennai Times. 10 April 2010. p. 39. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  11. ^ "பாமா விஜயம்". Kalki (in Tamil). 19 February 1967. p. 55. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  12. ^ "பாமா விஜயம்". Kalki (in Tamil). 12 March 1967. p. 13. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  13. ^ "அன்றிலிருந்து இன்றுவரை சினிமா" [Cinema from then until today] (PDF). Vlambaram (in Tamil). 15 October 1999. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  14. ^ Ashokamitran 2016, p. 162.
  15. ^ Sing, Bobby (11 April 2021). "CinemaScope: When Shashikala played a Hindi film actress as Sheela Devi". The Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Swalpa Adjust Madkolli Movie Review". Chitraloka.com. 8 December 2000. Archived from the original on 14 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  17. ^ Malhotra, Jawahar (10 November 2017). "A Parody of a Party for Priyanka Brings Funds for the Less Fortunate". Indo American News. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  18. ^ "Balachander's convincing portrayal of characters hailed". The Hindu. 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  19. ^ Raman, Mohan (23 August 2014). "100 years of laughter". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2018.

Bibliography

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